WILDLIFE CONNECTIONS CHESTER ZOO IS WORKING TO PROTECT UK

WILDLIFE AND YOU CAN TOO

Over the past 40 years or so… Bullfinch, greenfinch & dunnock numbers have declined by 25-50%starling, song thrush & house sparrow numbers have declined by 50%+

Hedgehogs have declined by 30% since 2002. They are still declining in the UK by 5% per year. There are fewer than 1 million left in UK.

Toads have declined by 68% between 1985 & 2015. They are still declining by over 2% per year.

97% of flower-rich meadows lost since 1930 affecting bumblebees & wildflowers

Swifts declined by almost 50% between 1995 & 2015

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? Those aren’t the only species that are in decline, UK wildlife is in trouble. Using a special measure called the Biodiversity Intactness Index we know that the UK is ranked 189 out of the 218 countries assessed.

Between 2006 and 2012, 22,000 hectares (the size of 22,000 international rugby pitches) of green space was converted to “artificial surfaces”

The 2016 State of Nature report tells us that…• Over half (56%) of UK species have declined since 1970. • More than one in ten (1,199 species) species in the UK are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether.

There are a number of major issues causing declines

Pesticide use

Loss of connectivity(fragmented habitat)

Urbanisation Climate change

Invasive species

Increased friction between humans and wildlife

BIRD

FEE

DER

Seed

s, nu

ts, m

ealw

orms

and

fruit

are al

l grea

t for

bird

s. Pu

t you

r fee

ders

in dif

feren

t plac

es so

the

birds

don

’t ha

ve to

figh

t ov

er th

e foo

d.12.

2.6.

4.

4.

7.

To cre

ate yo

ur ow

n WI

LDLIF

E CO

NNEC

TIONS

garde

n, he

re are

few

top ti

ps to

get y

ou sta

rted.

FLOW

ERS

Provid

e foo

d for

pollin

ators

and

othe

r ins

ects

all ye

ar rou

nd b

y grow

ing pl

ants

that

flow

er at

diff

erent

tim

es of

year.

2.

COMP

OST

HEAP

The

perfe

ct pla

ce fo

r he

dgeh

ogs,

toad

s, bir

ds,

bats

and

reptil

es to

find

lot

s of f

ood

and

somew

here

to hi

de.

4.

BUG

HOTE

L

Diffe

rent s

ized

nook

s &

crann

ies an

d dif

feren

t ma

teria

ls ma

ke th

e pe

rfect

place

for l

ots o

f diff

erent

bugs

and

insec

ts to

live.8.

BIRD

BOX

Di

fferen

t bird

s like

diff

erent

de

signs

so ha

ving a

varie

ty

will p

rovide

home

s for

loads

of

diffe

rent b

irds.

ROCK

PIL

E Gi

ves i

nsec

ts som

ewhe

re to

live,

so he

dgeh

ogs,

toad

s an

d bir

ds ha

ve pl

enty

to e

at.

Sloww

orms a

nd ot

her r

eptil

es

use

them

as b

askin

g spo

ts to

o.

14.

5.

5.

10.

LOG

PILE

Pe

rfect

place

for b

eetle

s to

live,

which

are

fanta

stic

food

for al

l sort

s of w

ildlif

e. Ma

ke su

re it’

s not

dist

urbed

an

d yo

u migh

t get

hedg

ehog

s, to

ads o

r rep

tiles

hibe

rnat

ing

in th

ere to

o.

11.

BAT

BOX

Bats

look f

or sa

fe pl

aces

to

roost

nea

r area

s with

lot

s of f

ood.

Putti

ng b

at

boxe

s up i

n dif

feren

t area

s me

ans t

hat b

ats m

ight u

se

them

at d

iffere

nt ti

mes

of ye

ar.

1. 1.

3.

7.

3.TO

AD A

BODE

A

shad

y she

lter f

or to

ads

to hi

de in

duri

ng th

e da

y.

Find o

ut mo

rech

este

rzoo.o

rg/co

nnec

tions

HEDG

ES

Hedg

ehog

s lov

e he

dges

as

do l

ots o

f oth

er wi

ldlife

. Ha

ving p

lants

like

hawt

horn

an

d ba

rberry

in yo

ur he

dge

will p

rovide

food

and

shelt

er for

all s

orts o

f wild

life

all

year

round

.

9.

8.

12.

11.

PLAC

ES T

O EN

JOY

Havin

g spo

ts wh

ere yo

u can

enj

oy

and

inves

tigat

e th

e wo

nderf

ul wi

ldlife

aro

und

is rea

lly im

porta

nt. S

ee w

hat

you c

an sp

ot an

d rem

embe

r to r

ecord

wh

at yo

u see

!

7.6.

HEDG

EHOG

MONO

RAIL

Make

sure

hedg

ehog

s and

ot

her w

ildlif

e ca

n mo

ve in

and

out t

o find

eve

rythin

g th

ey n

eed

to th

rive.

LEAV

E TH

E GR

ASS

TO G

ROW

Long

gras

s and

wild

area

s wh

ere th

istles

, net

tles a

nd

bramb

les ar

e all

owed

to gr

ow

are re

ally i

mport

ant t

o prov

ide

food

and

shelt

er for

lots

of wi

ldlife

.

9.

10.

13.

POND

Even

a ve

ry sm

all po

nd

can

be th

e pe

rfect

place

for

inse

cts an

d am

phibi

ans

to liv

e. Bir

ds an

d he

dgeh

ogs

will c

ome

to d

rink a

nd

bath

e to

o.

13.

14.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? The 2010 Every Child Outdoors report found that there are “strong correlations between connection to nature and pro-nature behaviours and pro-environmental behaviours.” We need more initiatives that work to protect and increase UK biodiversity, and also engage and connect people at the same time.

We need to make our urban environments a bit

more WILD If EVERYONE did something small, then the whole world would be in a better place

Wildlife Connections is a campaign led by Chester Zoo which encourages people to take action to help local wildlife. We’re asking everybody to help create a network of safe spaces for wildlife by taking simple steps such as recording wildlife, opening up gardens to hedgehogs or toads and growing wildflowers.

We have loads of really useful online guides and resources that can help everyone take action to protect UK wildlife. There’s something for everyone and if everyone does their bit then we truly can reverse some of these declines and increase the resilience and stability of our local ecosystems.

There are loads of ways you can take action to help local wildlife – whether you make a change in your own garden, local community space or workplace. Do you know a green space where you could take any of these actions www.chesterzoo.org/connections

BIRD

FEE

DER

Seed

s, nu

ts, m

ealw

orms

and

fruit

are al

l grea

t for

bird

s. Pu

t you

r fee

ders

in dif

feren

t plac

es so

the

birds

don

’t ha

ve to

figh

t ov

er th

e foo

d.12.

2.6.

4.

4.

7.

To cre

ate yo

ur ow

n WI

LDLIF

E CO

NNEC

TIONS

garde

n, he

re are

few

top ti

ps to

get y

ou sta

rted.

FLOW

ERS

Provid

e foo

d for

pollin

ators

and

othe

r ins

ects

all ye

ar rou

nd b

y grow

ing pl

ants

that

flow

er at

diff

erent

tim

es of

year.

2.

COMP

OST

HEAP

The

perfe

ct pla

ce fo

r he

dgeh

ogs,

toad

s, bir

ds,

bats

and

reptil

es to

find

lot

s of f

ood

and

somew

here

to hi

de.

4.

BUG

HOTE

L

Diffe

rent s

ized

nook

s &

crann

ies an

d dif

feren

t ma

teria

ls ma

ke th

e pe

rfect

place

for l

ots o

f diff

erent

bugs

and

insec

ts to

live.8.

BIRD

BOX

Di

fferen

t bird

s like

diff

erent

de

signs

so ha

ving a

varie

ty

will p

rovide

home

s for

loads

of

diffe

rent b

irds.

ROCK

PIL

E Gi

ves i

nsec

ts som

ewhe

re to

live,

so he

dgeh

ogs,

toad

s an

d bir

ds ha

ve pl

enty

to e

at.

Sloww

orms a

nd ot

her r

eptil

es

use

them

as b

askin

g spo

ts to

o.

14.

5.

5.

10.

LOG

PILE

Pe

rfect

place

for b

eetle

s to

live,

which

are

fanta

stic

food

for al

l sort

s of w

ildlif

e. Ma

ke su

re it’

s not

dist

urbed

an

d yo

u migh

t get

hedg

ehog

s, to

ads o

r rep

tiles

hibe

rnat

ing

in th

ere to

o.

11.

BAT

BOX

Bats

look f

or sa

fe pl

aces

to

roost

nea

r area

s with

lot

s of f

ood.

Putti

ng b

at

boxe

s up i

n dif

feren

t area

s me

ans t

hat b

ats m

ight u

se

them

at d

iffere

nt ti

mes

of ye

ar.

1. 1.

3.

7.

3.TO

AD A

BODE

A

shad

y she

lter f

or to

ads

to hi

de in

duri

ng th

e da

y.

Find o

ut mo

rech

este

rzoo.o

rg/co

nnec

tions

HEDG

ES

Hedg

ehog

s lov

e he

dges

as

do l

ots o

f oth

er wi

ldlife

. Ha

ving p

lants

like

hawt

horn

an

d ba

rberry

in yo

ur he

dge

will p

rovide

food

and

shelt

er for

all s

orts o

f wild

life

all

year

round

.

9.

8.

12.

11.

PLAC

ES T

O EN

JOY

Havin

g spo

ts wh

ere yo

u can

enj

oy

and

inves

tigat

e th

e wo

nderf

ul wi

ldlife

aro

und

is rea

lly im

porta

nt. S

ee w

hat

you c

an sp

ot an

d rem

embe

r to r

ecord

wh

at yo

u see

!

7.6.

HEDG

EHOG

MONO

RAIL

Make

sure

hedg

ehog

s and

ot

her w

ildlif

e ca

n mo

ve in

and

out t

o find

eve

rythin

g th

ey n

eed

to th

rive.

LEAV

E TH

E GR

ASS

TO G

ROW

Long

gras

s and

wild

area

s wh

ere th

istles

, net

tles a

nd

bramb

les ar

e all

owed

to gr

ow

are re

ally i

mport

ant t

o prov

ide

food

and

shelt

er for

lots

of wi

ldlife

.

9.

10.

13.

POND

Even

a ve

ry sm

all po

nd

can

be th

e pe

rfect

place

for

inse

cts an

d am

phibi

ans

to liv

e. Bir

ds an

d he

dgeh

ogs

will c

ome

to d

rink a

nd

bath

e to

o.

13.

14.

RECORDING HOW-TO

Look out for things like feathers, footprints and poo which can tell you a lot about who’s

visited when you weren’t about.

Recording wildlife is a fun thing to do all year round and can

help conserve the species you see around you.

Where you are, the date and time can effect what you’re likely

to see, so make a note of these things.

Check all the different places that wildlife might live. Note down what species you see in each

habitat. Depending on the time of year you might need to rely on things like bark, leaves, colour and behaviour to do this.

Use simple equipment like binoculars, bug pots and a magnifying glass to help

you see species that can be difficult to spot.

If you can’t figure it out there and then, take a photo and a few notes to look it up later.

Use guides to help you identify which species

you’ve seen.

Jot down how long you were recording for. This might help

explain why you’ve seen loads more on one day than another.

Use books or websites to help you identify the species in

your photos.

Use our online recording form to share what you’ve seen with your local

record centre.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RECORDING WILDLIFE, GO TO CHESTERZOO.ORG/CONNECTIONS

DID YOU KNOW... That Chester Zoo has its own nature reserve? We’re protecting 14 acres and making that area the best that it can be for UK wildlife. We also have lots of spaces around the zoo designed to encourage UK wildlife to thrive.

chesterzoo.org/connections

LEARN WITH

Side Back Side Front Roof

Base

HOW TO BUILD A BIRD BOX!

All you need to do is…1. From the rear of the back (without the

groove) nail it to the two sides

2. Position the base between the two sides and the back then nail it into place

3. Fit the front panel to the front! Don’t forget to check that the sloping top is in line with the base. Nail it into place

4. Slide the roof into the groove at the back and screw it down into the front panel. Be careful, make sure you don’t miss the wood underneath!

To put up your bird box…• Find a nice sheltered spot - make sure the entrance hole

of your nest box is protected from winds, rain and direct sunlight. We don’t want our feathered friends getting wet!

• Get your ladder out - small holed nest boxes are best put at heights of 1.5 to 3m. If you can’t find a suitable tree, the sides of sheds and houses make good spots. Be careful if using a ladder!

• Keep it safe from intruders - make sure that it’s not easily accessible for cats or squirrels!

You’ll need…• Your Bird Box kit!• A hammer• Nails• Gloves• A screwdriver• Screws

chesterzoo.org/connections

LEARN WITH

Side Back Side Front Roof

Base

HOW TO BUILD A BIRD BOX!

All you need to do is…1. From the rear of the back (without the

groove) nail it to the two sides

2. Position the base between the two sides and the back then nail it into place

3. Fit the front panel to the front! Don’t forget to check that the sloping top is in line with the base. Nail it into place

4. Slide the roof into the groove at the back and screw it down into the front panel. Be careful, make sure you don’t miss the wood underneath!

To put up your bird box…• Find a nice sheltered spot - make sure the entrance hole

of your nest box is protected from winds, rain and direct sunlight. We don’t want our feathered friends getting wet!

• Get your ladder out - small holed nest boxes are best put at heights of 1.5 to 3m. If you can’t find a suitable tree, the sides of sheds and houses make good spots. Be careful if using a ladder!

• Keep it safe from intruders - make sure that it’s not easily accessible for cats or squirrels!

You’ll need…• Your Bird Box kit!• A hammer• Nails• Gloves• A screwdriver• Screws

LEARN WITH

HOW TO PREPARE THE GROUND FOR WILDFLOWERS!

chesterzoo.org/connections

You’ll need…• Wildlife Connections seeds• Gloves• Spade• Bucket• Rake

All you need to do is…1. Clear any brambles or taller vegetation2. Use the spade to mark out the area where you’re

going to prepare and cut into the ground/turf3. Turn the ground over using the spade4. Pick out any large stones, and any big weeds with roots5. Rake over to loosen up soil6. Take seeds7. Sprinkle evenly over prepared ground8. Rake to cover with a bit of soil9. Wait to see your wonderful wildflowers grow!

You might want to build a scarecrow to stop the seeds

being eaten before they grow!

Wildlife Connections QuizCan you match the facts to the species? There are five facts for each species/group

Tail 2cm longCan run up to 40m per minuteEats beetles, caterpillars and earthworms, with some bird eggs, slugs and snailsThe Queen builds a nest in early springThey use echolocation to find foodHas dry, warty, brown skinSome individuals live for over 20 yearsUse a long tongue to get nectar from flowersVisit Britain in summer May catch 10,000 insects per day when feeding youngHas around 5,000 spines18 species are resident in BritainLength 15 – 25mmLive in small coloniesHave fat, furry bodies that may be black, yellow, fawn, white or red.Usually hibernate between November and the end of MarchCan be seen in screaming partiesLike to nest under the eaves of houses and other buildingsFemales can be up to 50% larger than malesReturn to deep ponds and lakes to breedOften seen crossing roads in early springCan spend weeks at a time in flightLay their eggs in long strandsOnly mammal that can flyFemales gather together in the summer to give birth

1.2.3.

4.5.6.7.8.

9.10.

11.12.13.14.15.

16.

17.18.

19.

20.21.22.23.24.25.

Fact numbers Fact list

Hedgehog

Swift

Bumblebee

Toad

Bats

*Answers on the next page

Challenge tasksPick a UK native species that is in decline that you would like to take action to help

Describe the characteristics of that animal/plant and the habitat in which they live

Explain the threats they are facing and how it’s affecting their population

Explore why that animal/plant is important for a healthy ecosystem and what might happen if they continue to decline or go extinct

Review the work that Chester Zoo is doing to protect UK wildlife

Share your story, let other people know about what you’ve been doing and how they can take action too.

Apply what you have learnt and develop a project to take action to help UK wildlife

As an individual/class/school/ family/community

Hedgehog – 1, 2, 3, 11, 16, Swift – 9, 10, 17, 18, 22, Bumblebee – 4, 8, 13, 14, 15, Toad – 6, 19, 20, 21, 23, Bats – 5, 7, 12, 24, 25

FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT THESE LINKS;chesterzoo.org/connections

chesterzoo.org/schools/resources (search UK wildlife)

SHARE YOUR PROGRESS WITH US #WildlifeConnections

@LearnatCZ

@chesterzoo

volunteers@chesterzoo.org@